Ice Cold
by Rhaegal Nymeria Stark
Summary: And revenge really is so sweet. Ursa just wasn't expecting it from the person that sent it at her with such hatred. Sequel to "The Sin of Envy." Warning: Misogyny and homophobic issues come up in this fic. (Azutara relationship in this)


Disclaimer: Own nothing

Summary: And revenge really is so sweet. Ursa just wasn't expecting it from the person that sent it at her with such hatred. Sequel to "The Sin of Envy." Warning: Misogyny and homophobic issues come up in this fic. (Azutara or Katzula in this)

**Ice Cold:**

Ursa didn't know exactly what prompted her to confront the waterbender, but she had decided that if anyone was going to say anything about Katara and Azula's relationship, it might as well be her. She now saw the consequence of her choice standing and watching her dangerously. It wasn't that Ursa had anything against Katara personally, really, it was just that the waterbender was her oldest daughter's lover, and since Ursa knew that it was wrong for two people of the same sex to fall in love as well as share a bed and flesh together, she had gone with the intent of ending the relationship for her daughter's sake.

Apparently, it was not the most well thought out plan, if this anger from the waterbender she was witnessing was anything to go by.

Admittedly, Ursa supposed that she should have prepared a bit better for what she had been planning to say. She supposed that just going up to Katara in the garden where Katara had been playing with some turtle-ducks affectionately hadn't been a good idea, but she had been determined. She knew that it was probably foolish. Zuko and Azula were constantly telling her about Katara's severe temper when the Southern Water Tribe woman got angry enough. She didn't know where this anger from Azula's lover was coming from now but she assumed it had something to do with Azula herself. She didn't know what lies her daughter might have fed the Southern Water Tribe woman to get her on her side, but Ursa suspected that this was a matter of favoritism.

"Do you have any idea how much Azula suffered?" Katara spat, that cold fury that Ursa had heard so much about being projected at her in harsh, freezing waves. The waterbender carried on, "Well I do. Do you have any idea what Azula was like after the Comet? She was chained up, screaming, crying and writhing. Screaming for her mother, yelling that you thought she was a monster and that she didn't want to be alone."

Ursa tried to maintain a neutral face, but the knowledge that her child had suffered like this, had been through this nearly made her weep and the horrifying visual Katara was giving her.

Katara caught the look and snickered, appearing like a snarling animal, "I know what she was like; I spent nearly three years looking after her at the South Pole and trying to help her get better."

Ursa heard that and felt a strong surge of gratitude. Yes, she might have staunchly disagreed with the turn that Azula and Katara's relationship had taken, but she was still very happy that Azula had this woman to take care of her. She gazed at the waterbender. "I'm sorry you went through so much to heal her, Katara." She tried being polite, hoping to soften the younger woman's rage. It didn't work.

Katara just answered coolly, "Oh, don't apologize for _that_. I'm glad I was there for Azula. After all, _you_ weren't."

If Katara had been intending for that jab to be hurtful, she certainly succeeded. Ursa visibly flinched at the comment.

"I didn't have a choice," the black haired woman protested, standing up from where she had been seated on the grass near the pond, the turtle-ducks beginning to swim away, quacking in fear at the coming conflict, "Ozai threatened to kill both Zuko and Azula if I took them with me when he exiled me."

Ursa was sure that that remark would get the waterbender to see reason. It didn't. Katara, if anything gave out a grim laugh.

"So what? If your husband threatened to kill Zuko and Azula, then isn't that proof that you should have taken them with you? What kind of father threatens to murder his own children? Did you really think either Zuko or Azula would be safe with a father like that? Well congratulations, Lady Ursa. Your children are both alive. Just hope you don't mind the scar on Zuko's face or the mommy issues he has. Not to mention both the mommy and daddy issues Azula suffers from in spades thanks to you not taking her and Zuko away from here."

With that, Ursa's willful resolve crumpled. She felt tears begin to gather in her eyes.

"Azula…" she whimpered out, "It…..it's not that bad for her is it?"

Katara's glare was maintained. "Why?" She sneered, "Because you already want to pay so much attention to Zuko instead of her? Azula doesn't have issues? Tell me, Ursa, did you call Azula a "monster?" Did that really happen?"

The waterbender's stare was dark and unforgiving. Ursa almost quailed and stumbled back at the magnitude of cold, quiet fury that was radiating from the younger bender.

She wanted to deny it. She wanted to claim that she had always been a good mother. She wanted to claim that Azula thinking that her mother thought that she was a monster was a simple misunderstanding. She wanted to tell everyone that she loved all three of her children unconditionally and that she had never favored one over the other. But when you had someone staring at you as intensely as Katara was, there were some problems with that plan.

"You can't lie about it." Katara sneered, never once blinking, "I know. Even if I didn't, Azula certainly believes that you thought that way about her. Why would she think that? When did you call her a monster, Ursa? You better tell me now. You won't like what happens if you don't answer."

Ursa froze. She didn't say a word. She stared at Katara, golden eyes going wide. There wasn't an explicit threat in Katara's words, but it was there, lingering. An unseen menace that Ursa couldn't put her finger on. It made her skin crawl, though. She didn't want to think about what Katara might do if she were to lie. She knew that Katara was friends with her son as well as her oldest daughter's lover, but she wondered if that would save her from the Southern Water Tribe woman's wrath. She suspected not. And then she had learned not too long ago from Azula herself that Katara could bloodbend.

Ursa swore that when Azula had told her that, eyes full of amazement and praise, the older woman's heart nearly gave out. There was a bloodbender that was in contact with her daughter? Not just that, but Azula was in love with the bloodbender, was the bloodbender's lover, quite clearly had been having sex with the bloodbender in question and either didn't necessarily see Katara as a threat, or was even more attracted to her _because _she was a bloodbender.

To say that Ursa was afraid of Katara, would be a very big understatement.

So it was obvious to Ursa, that lying would not be a smart move.

"Yes," She whimpered out at last, breaking under Katara's wrathful gaze, "I did call her a monster. More than once."

Katara's lower jaw clenched, her arms that had once been crossing over her chest were now at her sides, both hands squeezed into fists, the knuckles starting to become pale, abandoning their normal brown color. Ursa stepped back, feeling blood drain from her face. If possible, Katara's eyes somehow seemed even more ferocious than before.

"Why?" the tanned woman growled out, "Why did you call her that? What reason did you think you had for doing it?"

Ursa felt her stomach tighten. Guilt overwhelmed the firebender as she recalled the night Azula had tried to save Zuko and Ursa had shown nothing but spite and disgust for it.

"The night Fire Lord Azulon tried to have his grandson killed, Azula heard it. She came into Zuko's room and warned him, but I assumed that she was just lying about it to scare Zuko. I brought her out of the room and called her a monster." The confession felt bitter and frigid. Katara's glare didn't intensify, but it didn't lose its fire either. Ursa pathetically offered some excuse as she repeated painfully, "I thought she was lying to scare Zuko."

"So Azula warned you about someone planning her brother's death, and you call her a monster for it." Katara scowled, "No wonder Azula doesn't want to do anything for anyone anymore. And I'm sure since Kiyi is exactly the type of daughter you want, it helps alleviate your doubts of being a good mom."

Ursa now felt her own fire begin to stir. She wasn't bending, but vexation started to awaken at those words.

"Leave Kiyi out of this. She wasn't even born yet when that happened." She defended her youngest child.

"That's true," Katara replied calmly, but her voice was still cold, making Ursa's confidence lessen, "But Kiyi is still the type of daughter you want, isn't she? Lady Ursa, what kind of daughter were you hoping Azula would be when she was born?"

Ursa was startled by the question. She felt like she should scream. She wanted to scream. She now realized where this was going, and it made her face heat up. She had never truly believed that her misdeeds as a mother against Azula would come back and bring a rain of dark karma on her like this, but she supposed she shouldn't have been surprised. Zuko had people who loved him, and so did Azula, even though the young princess didn't realize it. It was only a matter of time before someone saw what Azula saw.

"I….." Ursa could feel the confession begin to slip out of her mouth, but icy torment and regret gripped her, "I….I always wished that Azula would be like all the other girls. I wanted her to marry and be a wife and have children. I….I just thought that her wanting to be a warrior and a ruler was a phase. I thought once she found someone to marry and settled down, I thought that she would be happy."

For once, Katara's glare wasn't present anymore. Her fists unclenched and the waterbender was now staring at Ursa incredulously, cocking her head as if Ursa had just sprouted another pair of arms.

"Did you know your daughter at _all_, Ursa?" The waterbender exclaimed loudly, not even bothering with Ursa's title anymore in her disbelief. Ursa jumped a little at the shock in the younger woman's tone.

Katara was unapologetic as she continued, "Lady Ursa, did you know Azula at all? Do you even try now? I can tell you this, from the very first time I met Azula at Omashu, I could see that what you wanted from your daughter was clearly not for her. It must be convenient for you to now have a daughter that loves dolls and tea parties so that you don't have to think about Azula anymore."

Ursa stifled a cry at the accusation. That remark stung. Stung unlike anything Azula had said so far.

"But I was right!" She protested, gathering courage and stepping forward again, "Look at Azula three years ago and look at her now! She was miserable three years ago with all that power. No woman can be happy in power. Now, you're looking after her and she's spending time at the South Pole and here. She's a lot better now. I just wish that she had a better choice in partner." She ended her response with malice, hoping that it might strike a personal blow for Katara.

The waterbender seemed unaffected. She just smirked at Ursa. "You mean, that you wish Azula was having sex with a man, instead of a woman? Ursa, is there even a word for what's wrong with you? She and I are happy. It doesn't matter that we're both women. If you really loved Azula, you would just want her to be happy. Besides, I'm not worried about children. There's been a war that ended not too long ago in case you've forgotten." Katara's face became incredibly sober, "A lot of kids have lost their parents. A lot of little girls and little boys all across the world are without families now. Azula and I have already talked about it. She isn't so sure about it, but I am. We'll adopt."

Ursa, repulsed by the idea was about to say that that was unhealthy, but Katara clearly wasn't finished. The waterbender snapped, "And to answer you, Azula was broken three years ago because of you!" Ursa flinched again at Katara's tone, "She felt unloved by you. That's why she was in pain. Because she didn't live up to either your or Ozai's expectations of her. Well she doesn't need either of you anymore. She has us now."

Ursa didn't need to ask what Katara meant by "us." She had seen Katara's brother, Sokka spending time with her daughter, as well as the blind earthbender, that wheel chair bound but gentle boy, "Teo," the earthbender Haru, the Kyoshi warrior and the Avatar himself. She also knew that strange girl…Ty Lee was it? Ty Lee also always came to the palace, spending time with Azula. Ursa vaguely wondered if Katara was jealous at all by the attention Azula gave Ty Lee. But cancelled that thought. There was already enough fuel added to the fire for her liking.

"Doesn't need me anymore?" Ursa spoke indignantly, "I'm her mother!"

"Oh yeah," The waterbender snapped, "And what a good job you've done with your oldest daughter so far."

Ursa could feel the tears again. Guilt clenched her entire form, but she said nothing.

"Whatever," Katara shrugged, turning and leaving the garden, "I'm going. So I just wanted to let you know that that was that. You might not love Azula for who she is, but I do. So does Ty Lee, so does Toph, and so do Suki, Sokka, Haru, Teo, Aang, Mai and Zuko. And you know, I think Kiyi does too."

Through her bitterness, Ursa almost smiled at those words. Yes, Kiyi was always giggling and cooing at how "cool" her big sister was. It troubled her though. She knew Azula was more under control now than she had been a few years ago, but she could tell, whenever Azula stared at Kiyi, it was apparent that the firebender saw the younger girl as her replacement.

Kiyi on the other hand adored Azula. Ursa was unsettled by their contact, to be truthful.

Katara was glancing over her shoulder at the older woman, and she must have understood the direction of the firebender's thoughts because she laughed abrasively, "Oh don't worry. Azula won't hurt Kiyi. Do you think I'd let her? She knows I love kids. She won't step over that line. Besides, I have faith in her, but I'm not stupid. I know she's still paranoid and unstable. And unlike you, I love her regardless." She watched Ursa visibly cringe. Deciding to twist the knife further, the waterbender added, "And I'll make sure that Azula behaves around her new niece too."

Ursa's head lifted up. "Niece?" She asked, quirking an eyebrow, "How do you know Zuko and Mai are having a girl?"

The waterbender shrugged again, "We don't, but Mai's pretty sure of it. But boy or girl, let me tell you this, if it's a girl, Zuko and Mai, like any good parents will love her regardless of who she is. It won't matter to them whether or not their daughter likes playing with dolls and it won't matter to them if their daughter likes playing with weapons. They'll love her unconditionally. And if it's a boy, they'll both love him regardless of whether or not the boy likes fighting or if the boy likes tea parties and dolls. You know why? Because that's the way good parents are. And Azula will love the child no matter what the child's like. Because she's just more decent than you."

Katara didn't wait for any words of defense from the older woman, she just turned and walked away, nothing but a sickening sense of defeat left in the air around Ursa. She felt ill. It was as if all the laments she had over not being a better mother to Azula were being thrown into her face at once. Ursa lowered her head, staring at the ground, tears now falling into the grass. She stiffened when she heard the sounds of leaves being crushed.

Turning, Ursa saw Azula standing under a cherry blossom tree, eyes fixated on her mother. The younger firebender wasn't moving. She was only a couple of feet away from her mother, the girl's golden eyes were lit up with something that made Ursa tense.

"Azula," Ursa ventured, "Did….did you hear all of that just now?"

She expected anything by now really. She expected Azula to sneer, to laugh, to tell her mother just how pathetic and insignificant she was compared to herself, but what Ursa wasn't expecting was what happened.

Azula just stared and then smirked, some teeth beginning to emerge. Azula just grinned barbarously and turned away, strolling towards where Katara had exited. The firebender looked over her shoulder at Ursa as Katara had and flashed the fiendish grin at her mother again before entering the palace.

Ursa was numb. She couldn't move. The tears weren't falling anymore. There was just a nauseating sensation running through the woman's body. Had that whole thing been planned? Had Azula asked Katara to say that? No, that wasn't true. Katara had chosen to do it of her own free will. No one could fake the anger that she had seen in the waterbender's azure eyes. No one; probably not even Azula herself could fake such a biting emotion. Had Katara wanted Azula to witness the display? Had she wanted Azula to see that she was willing to defend the firebender from her own mother as an act of devotion? The question made Ursa's heart fall.

A part of her knew what the right thing to do was. She should run into the palace after Azula, grab her oldest daughter's shoulders and tell her that she was sorry for everything and that she loved all three of her children no matter what, but she couldn't move. She was frozen to the spot, melancholy threatening to take over.

She let out a gruesome laugh. It seemed Ozai was right about her. She was weak. Forever would be. She wasn't even strong enough to accept her oldest daughter the way she was.

She supposed it was only right. Revenge really was so sweet. She hoped Azula was enjoying it. She just didn't expect any vengeance to be as ice cold as it was for her at the moment.

**Okay, sorry if Katara and Ursa were out of character. That's one thing I really have trouble with. Also, sorry if the writing got repetitive. Still, hope you enjoyed it and NO flames please.**


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